1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to microbiological industry, to the method of L-arginine production and concerns the using of new feedback-resistant mutant enzymes in arginine biosynthesis pathway of E. coli arginine-producer strains.
2. Description of the Related Art
The biosynthesis of arginine from glutamate in E. coli cells is carried out by a series of reactions initiated by the acetylation of glutamate by N-acetylglutamate synthase (NAGS) encoded by argA. This process is regulated via transcription repression of the arg regulon and by feedback inhibition of NAGS by arginine [Cunin R., et al., Microbiol. Rev., vol.50, p.314-352, 1986]. L-Arginine represses argA expression with a ratio greater than 250 and inhibits NAGS activity (Ki=0.02 mM) [Leisinger T., Haas D., J. Biol. Chem., vol.250, p.1690-1693, 1975]. For enhanced biosynthesis of arginine in E. coli, the feedback-resistant (may be referred to as xe2x80x9cfbrxe2x80x9d) NAGS enzymes are required.
The feedback-resistant mutants of enzymes can be obtained by spontaneous, chemical or site-directed mutagenesis.
Some argA fbr mutants were isolated and studied. The Serratia marcescens cells carrying the chromosomal fbr argA mutations were unstable and gave rise to argA mutants with reduced activity or with altered affinity for glutamate [Takagi T., et al., J. Biochem. vol.99, p.357-364 1986].
The fbr argA genes from the five E. coli strains with fbr NAGS were cloned and different single-base substitutions in argA genes were found in each of the fbr NAGS strains and it was revealed that the substitutions cause replacing His-15 with Tyr, Tyr-19 with Cys, Ser-54 with Asn, Arg-58 with His, Gly-287 with Ser and Gln-432 with Arg (Rajagopal B. S. et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 1998, vol.64, No.5, p. 1805-1811).
As a rule, the fbr phenotype of enzyme arises as a result of the replacing the amino acid residue with another in a single or in a few sites of protein sequence and these replacements lead to reducing the activity of enzyme. For example, the replacing of natural Met-256 with 19 other amino acid residues in E. coli serine acetyltransferase (SAT) (cysE gene) leads in most cases to fbr phenotype but the mutant SAT proteins do not restore the level of activity of natural SAT (Nakamori S. et al., AEM, 64(5):1607-11, 1998).
So, the disadvantage of the mutant enzymes, obtained by these methods, is a reduce in the activity of mutant enzymes as compared to wild type enzymes.
An object of the present invention is to provide mutant feedback resistant and high active enzymes which play a key role in biosynthesis of arginine by E. coli. 
In present invention the novel procedure for synthesis a large set of mutant argA genes is proposed by using the full randomization of fragment of argA gene. The simultaneous substitutions of some amino acid residues in fragment of protein sequence, in which the fbr mutation can be localized, can be able to give a mutant proteins with the level of its activity restored near to natural due to more correct restored three dimensional structure of enzyme. Thus the present invention described below has been accomplished.
That is the present invention provides:
(1) A mutant N-acetylglutamate synthase wherein the amino acid sequence corresponding to positions from 15 to 19 in a wild type N-acetylglutamate synthase is replaced with any one of amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 4, and feedback inhibition by L-arginine is desensitized;
(2) The mutant N-acetylglutamate synthase according to (1), wherein a wild type N-acetylglutamate synthase is that of Escherichia coli. 
(3) The mutant N-acetylglutamate synthase according to (1), which includes deletion, substitution, insertion, or addition of one or several amino acids at one or a plurality of positions other than positions from 15 to 19, wherein feedback inhibition by L-arginine is desensitized;
(4) A DNA coding for the mutant N-acetylglutamate synthase as defined in any one of (1) to (3);
(5) A bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia which is transformed with the DNA as defined in (4) and has an activity to produce L-arginine; and
(6) A method for producing L-arginine comprising the steps of cultivating the bacterium as defined in (5) in a medium to produce and accumulate L-arginine in the medium and collecting L-arginine from the medium.
The NAGS having any of fbr mutation as described above may be referred to as xe2x80x9cthe mutant NAGSxe2x80x9d, a DNA coding for the mutant NAGS may be referred to as xe2x80x9cthe mutant argA genexe2x80x9d, and a NAGS without mutation may be referred to as xe2x80x9ca wild type NAGSxe2x80x9d.
Hereafter, the present invention will be explained in detail.
 less than 1 greater than  Mutant NAGSs and Mutant argA Genes
The mutant NAGSs and the mutant argA genes coding the same were obtained by randomized fragment-directed mutagenesis. To obtain the numerous mutations in argA gene the full randomization of 15-nucleotide fragment of argA gene which codes the region from 15-th to 19-th amino acid residues in protein sequence was carried out. The full randomized 15-nucleotide fragment gives 415 or near 109 different DNA sequences which can code 205 different amino acid residues in 5-mer peptide. The likelihood of in frame non-introducing the stop codons in this sequences is equal of about 0.955 or 78%. So, the full randomization of the argA gene fragment coded the peptide from 15-th to 19-th amino acid residues must give approximately 2.5 million different protein sequences with diversity in this peptide fragment of NAGS structure. Subsequent selection and screening of recombinant clones carrying mutant argA genes cloned into expression vector allows to choose the fbr variants of mutant NAGS with different level of its biological activity up to level of activity of derepressed wild-type (wt) NAGS. In the selection, the inventors considered that the strain harboring the mutant argA gene would be obtained by using argDxe2x88x92, and probxe2x88x92 or proAxe2x88x92 strain, because such a strain cannot produce L-proline due to inhibition of NAGS thereby cannot grow if excess amount of L-arginine exists in a culture medium, but the strain harboring fbr NAGS can grow in a minimal medium because glutamate-semialdehyde, a precursor of L-proline, can be supplied by acetylornithine deacetylase (the argE product) from N-acetylglutamate-semialdehyde, a precursor of L-arginine (Eckhardt T., Leisinger T., Mol. Gen. Genet., vol. 138, p.225-232, 1975). However, the inventors found that it is difficult to obtain fbr NAGS having high activity by the above method as described in the abter-mentioned following Example, and that fbr NAGS having high activity can be obtained by introducing the mutant argA into a wild type strain and selection of a strain which shows delay of cell growth.
The amino acid sequences of the mutant NAGS suitable for fbr phenotype of NAGS were defined by the present invention. Therefore, the mutant NAGS can be obtained based on the sequences by introducing mutations into a wild type argA using ordinary methods. As a wild type argA gene, the argA gene of E. coli can be mentioned (GenBank Accession Y00492; the DNA sequence appears as SEQ ID NO: 15 and the corresponding protein sequence appears as SEQ ID NO:16).
The amino acid sequence of positions from 15 to 19 in the mutant NAGS of the present invention is any one of the sequnece of SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 4. The corresponding amino acid sequence of known mutant NAGS, in which tyr at a position 19 is replaced with Cys, and the wild type NAGS of E. coli are illustrated in SEQ ID NOS: 5 and 6, respectively. Examples of nucleotide sequence encoding these amino acid sequences are shown in SEQ ID NOS: 7 to 12. Table 1 shows these sequence.
The mutant NAGS may including deletion, substitution, insertion, or addition of one or several amino acids at one or a plurality of positions other than 15th to 19th, provided that the NAGS activity, that is an activity to catalyze the reaction of acetylation of L-glutamic acid which produces N-acetylglutamate, is not deteriorated.
The number of xe2x80x9cseveralxe2x80x9d amino acids differs depending on the position or the type of amino acid residues in the three dimensional structure of the protein. This is because of the following reason. That is, some amino acids have high homology to one another and the difference in such an amino acid does not greatly affect the three dimensional structure of the protein. Therefore, the mutant NAGS of the present invention may be one which has homology of not less than 30 to 50%, preferably 50 to 70% with respect to the entire amino acid residues for constituting NAGS, and which has the fbr NAGS activity.
In the present invention, xe2x80x9camino acid sequence corresponding to the sequence of positions from 15 to 19xe2x80x9d means an amino acid sequence corresponding to the amino acid sequence of positions from 15 to 19 in the amino acid sequence of E. coli wild type NAGS. A position of amino acid residue may change. For example, if an amino acid residue is inserted at N-terminus portion, the amino acid residue inherently locates at the position 15 becomes position 16. In such a case, the amino acid residue corresponding to the original position 15 is designated as the amino acid residue at the position 15 in the present invention.
The DNA, which codes for the substantially same protein as the mutant NAGS as described above, may be obtained, for example, by modifying the nucleotide sequence, for example, by means of the site-directed mutagenesis method so that one or more amino acid residues at a specified site involve deletion, substitution, insertion, or addition. DNA modified as described above may be obtained by the conventionally known mutation treatment. The mutation treatment includes a method for treating a DNA containing the mutant argA gene in vitro, for example, with hydroxylamine, and a method for treating a microorganism, for example, a bacterium, belonging to the genus Escherichia harboring the mutant argA gene with ultraviolet irradiation or a mutating agent such as N-methyl-Nxe2x80x2-nitro-N-nitrosoquanidine (NTG) and nitrous acid usually used for the mutation treatment.
The substitution, deletion, insertion, or addition of nucleotide as described above also includes mutation which naturally occurs (mutant or variant), for example, on the basis of the individual difference or the difference in species or genus of bacterium which harbors NAGS.
The DNA, which codes for substantially the same protein as the mutant argA gene, is obtained by expressing DNA having mutation as described above in an appropriate cell, and investigating NAGS activity of an expressed product.
Also, the DNA, which codes for substantially the same protein as the mutant NAGS, can be obtained by isolating a DNA which hybridizes with DNA having known argA gene sequence or a probe obtainable therefrom under stringent conditions, and which codes for a protein having the NAGS activity, from a cell harboring the mutant NAGS which is subjected to mutation treatment.
The term xe2x80x9cstringent conditionsxe2x80x9d referred to herein is a condition under which so-called specific hybrid is formed, and non-specific hybrid is not formed. It is difficult to clearly express this condition by using any numerical value. However, for example, the stringent conditions include a condition under which DNAs having high homology, for example, DNAs having homology of not less than 50% with each other are hybridized, and DNAs having homology lower than the above with each other are not hybridized. Alternatively, the stringent condition is exemplified by a condition under which DNA""s are hybridized with each other at a salt concentration corresponding to an ordinary condition of washing in Southern hybridization, i.e., 60xc2x0 C., preferably 65xc2x0 C., 1xc3x97SSC, 0.1% SDS, preferably 0.1xc3x97SSC, 0.1% SDS.
The gene, which is hybridizable under the condition as described above, includes those having a stop codon generated within a coding region of the gene, and those having no activity due to mutation of active center. However, such inconveniences can be easily removed by ligating the gene with a commercially available expression vector, and investigating NAGS activity.
 less than 2 greater than  Bacterium Belonging to the Genus Escherichia of the Present Invention
The bacterium belonging the genus Escherichia of the present invention is a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia to which the mutant argA gene as described above is introduced. A bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia is exemplified by E. coli. The mutant argA gene can be introduced by, for example, transformation of a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia with a recombinant DNA comprising a vector which functions in a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherihia and the mutant argA gene. The mutant argA gene can be also introduced by substitution of argA gene on a chromosome with the mutant argA gene.
Vector using for introduction of the mutant argA gene is exemplified by plasmid vectors such as pBR322, pMW118, pUC19 or the like, phage vectors such as 11059, lBF101, M13 mp9 or the like and transposon such as Mu, Tn10, Tn5 or the like.
The introduction of a DNA into a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia can be performed, for example, by a method of D. A. Morrison (Methods in Enzymology, 68, 326 (1979)) or a method in which recipient bacterial cell are treated with calcium chloride to increase permeability of DNA (Mandel, M., and Higa, A., J. Mol. Biol., 53, 159, (1970)) and the like.
If the mutant argA gene is introduced into L-arginine-producing bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia as described above, a produced amount of L-arginine can be increased. Besides, an ability to produce L-arginine may be imparted to a bacterium to which the mutant argA gene is introduced. As the bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia which has an activity to produce L-arginine is exemplified by E. coli 237 strain (VKPM B-7925). The 237 strain has been deposited in Russian National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (VKPM) under the accession number VKPM B-7925 since Apr. 10, 2000, and transferred to the original deposit to international deposit based on Budapest Treaty, on May 18, 2001.
 less than 3 greater than  Method for Producing L-arginine
L-arginine can be efficiently produced by cultivating the bacterium to which the mutant argA gene is introduced and which has an ability to produce L-arginine, in a culture medium, producing and accumulating L-arginine in the medium, and collecting L-arginine from the medium.
In the method of present invention, the cultivation of the bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia, the collection and purification of L-arginine from the liquid medium may be performed in a manner similar to those of the conventional method for producing L-arginine by fermentation using a bacterium. A medium used in cultivation may be either a synthetic medium or a natural medium, so long as the medium includes a carbon and a nitrogen source and minerals and, if necessary, nutrients which the bacterium used requires for growth in appropriate amount. The carbon source may include various carbohydrates such as glucose and sucrose, and various organic acids, depending on assimilatory ability of the used bacterium. Alcohol including ethanol and glycerol may be used. As the nitrogen source, ammonia, various ammonium salts as ammonium sulfate, other nitrogen compounds such as amines, a natural nitrogen source such as peptone, soybean hydrolyzate and digested fermentative microbe are used. As minerals, monopotassium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, calcium carbonate are used. The cultivation is preferably culture under an aerobic condition such as a shaking, and an aeration and stirring culture. The temperature of culture is usually 20 to 40xc2x0 C., preferably 30 to 38xc2x0 C. The pH of the culture is usually between 5 and 9, preferably between 6.5 and 7.2. The pH of the culture can be adjusted with ammonia, calcium carbonate, various acids, various bases, and buffers. Usually, a 1 to 3-day cultivation leads to the accumulation of L-arginine in the medium.
Collecting L-arginine can be performed by removing solids such as cells from the medium by centrifugation or membrane filtration after cultivation, and then collecting and purifying L-arginine by ion exchange, concentration and crystalline fraction methods and the like.